5 Job Search Pitfalls to Avoid - CareerAlley

5 Job Search Pitfalls to Avoid - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes. Mahatma Gandhi The age-old question How long will it take me to find a job always reminds me of the question How long is a piece of string. The answer to both questions is, of course, it depends. However long or short it is (finding a job, that is), it is always longer than we would like. There are so many things you can do to speed up your job search (and that is a topic for another post), but there are also as many (or more) things you can do to slow down or derail your job search process. According to Challenger, Gray Christmas, Incs 1st Qtr 2012 Job Search Stats, the median length of a job search was 3.03 months, of which 91.88% found equal or better positions. Sounds wonderful, although the results of my unscientific survey of people I know who are looking for a new job tend to vary wildly from person to person. So whats the point? The road to a new job can often be long and bumpy. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be? Following are some tips on making sure your job search does not turnuglier than it needs to be. Unpreparedfor Interview Given the amount of time and effort it takes to get an interview these days, there is nothing worse than not being prepared. You should (hopefully) be fully aware of the job description and how your skills match. You should know everything on your resume (you would be surprised how many people cant speak to some of the specifics theyve placed on their resume scary). You should be prepared to answer the usual suspect questions as well as ask relevant questions. Job Interview Tips How to Prepare for a Job Interview Time Does Matter There is a directcorrelationbetweenthe amount of time you spend looking for a job and how long it takes to find a job. If you are unemployed, your full time job should be job hunting. If you are currently working, you obviously have less time to spend looking for a job. Waiting around for someone to find you is also not likely to happen. How Much Time Should You Spend Job Searching? Lazy Job Seekers are Kidding Themselves Document Errors We all make mistakes. Even after checking a document several times an error (or 2) may slip through. Your resumes, cover letters and thank you notes should be perfect. One option is to have someone review your resume for you to ensure there are no errors. Ive also seen cases where someone was using someone elses format and accidentally included some of the other persons data(like their education). Error Free Job Search Documents Methods to Ensure Resume Mistakes The 14 Fatal Most Fatal Attitude The power of positive thinking does work (as does the power of negative thinking). We all know how difficult and discouraging a job search can be, but you cant let this impact your attitude while looking for a job. Yes, you may have discussed your background with 100 interviewers, but that does not mean that you should appear bored when you speak with interviewer number 101. A positive attitude is one of the most important components of your job search. Average Job Seeker Gives Up After 5 Months Check Your Job Search Attitude Lack of Company/Interviewer Research In the old days (BI Before Internet), company research was time consuming and interviewer research was almost impossible. With the Internet, there really is no excuse as to why youve not done your research on the company and the interviewer(s). While I would argue that you should already have done research on the company prior to accepting the interview, you should certainly do that research prior to the interview. Many interviewers will ask what you know about the company. If you say nothing, there is not much of a chance for you. 7 Company Research Tips Before The Job Interview Research a Company Before the Job Interview more Job Search Stories Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook